Cemetery Confrontation Leads To Resignations, Threats

The Bristol Cemetery along Route 13. Credit: Google Maps

A confrontation at Bristol Cemetery between a visitor and a cemetery employee has led to resignations and a police report.

The video received hundreds of comments and discussion after a video of the incident spread across local Facebook pages and groups.

Serena, a Bristol resident, visited the cemetery along Route 13 in West Bristol last Monday to visit a grave when the incident happened.

Serena told LevittownNow.com and said in video posted on Facebook that an employee asked her to move her parked car in a rude manner. Serena said she moved her vehicle.

“I was at the cemetery by myself and I wasn’t expecting to interact with anyone,” she said, adding she would have happily moved her car if she thought she was blocking the crew.

Serena said she felt disrespected by the employee’s tone and accused him of cursing at her.

After the parking incident, Serena then went to find the cemetery office to speak with management.

“I didn’t go there looking for a fight,” she said.

Serena alleged that a cemetery worker then revved his truck and drove past her, which she interpreted as an attempt to intimidate her.

When she encountered the two employees, she said one of them berated her and used a racial slur several times.

“I was shocked,” she said, recalling that she wished she had recorded the incident.

“I have never, never had an issue and I frequent the cemetery a lot,” she said.

Serena explained that she didn’t feel the worker was racist, but he was “just being nasty.”

After speaking to a friend and leaving the cemetery, Serena reported the incident to the Bristol Township Police Department, she said.

On Friday, Serena said cemetery management informed her that the two employees who she encountered had resigned. She said she appreciated the update but wished for an apology.

“I want to keep coming here. I want all Black people to keep coming here. We meet here and we respect this place and I don’t want this to change, but it blew my mind that someone would talk like that,” Serena said.

Bill, the former employee who interacted with Serena, spoke with LevittownNow.com and confirmed the interaction but denied using racial slurs.

Bill said he asked Serena to move her car, and she later approached him and a coworker as they prepared for lunch and a dispute took place.

“I did not use that type of language against her,” he said. “I didn’t even use the ‘bitch’ word.”

“I’m not racist and the color of her skin had nothing to do with it,” Bill said, noting that his son is dating a Black woman.

Bill, who also lives locally, said Serena called him a racial slur and that he did not understand what provoked her.

Upset over what happened, Bill stated that he has worked with funeral homes that service a large African American client base for years without issues.

Bill, who said he is in his 60s and worked at the cemetery for eight years, said he has received threats since the video circulated on Facebook and was hospitalized due to stress.

Bill confirmed that he spoke with Bristol Township police after the incident.

Recalling the incident, Bill said he had a dash cam on his truck, but it doesn’t record audio and didn’t capture the full confrontation.

“There are people threatening me for this,” he said.

Bill said he is retired and previously worked at St. Mary Cemetery, which is next door. He said he was working at Bristol Cemetery to earn some extra money.

Bristol Cemetery Land Company, which is led by Bill’s daughter, said the resignations have caused “major scheduling and maintenance issues” for the cemetery until replacements can be hired.

Serena released a video Friday acknowledging the resignations.

In an interview, Serena, expressed sympathy for any disruption to families, including her own who had a funeral delayed, but maintained that the incident needed to be addressed.

“My intention was to bring awareness and bring attention to anyone who had this happen to them,” she said.

“This is over now, and I hope the next staff are trained to speak with people and be kind,” Serena said. “I’m glad I was able to be heard.”

LevittownNow.com opted to not use the last names of the Serena and Bill due to threats that have followed the video being posted on social media.

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